New iPhone 17 Air leak hints at how the super-slim phone might solve its potential battery life issues
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Silicon-batteries are arriving from TDK this year
Apple is one of TDK's biggest customers
The improved batteries could power the iPhone 17 Air
We're expecting the iPhone 17 Air to replace the iPhone 16 Plus this year, and it's expected to be super-slim – which has raised some questions about battery life. Now a new leak suggests those questions could be answered using next-gen silicon battery technology.
According to a report from Bloomberg, battery maker TDK is ahead of schedule with a significant upgrade, where silicon is used for the battery anode rather than the conventional graphite. This means 15% more energy can be packed into the same space.
Shipping for these batteries will begin by the end of June, which may just give Apple enough time to incorporate the batteries into its iPhone 17 series – including the iPhone 17 Air, which will have less space for a battery than the other models in the range.
Now we're being pretty speculative about joining up these particular dots, but we know that TDK supplies both Apple and Samsung. Samsung has of course just unveiled its own ultra-slim handset in the form of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.
If the most recent leak is accurate, then the iPhone 17 Air is going to come with a battery capacity of 2,800 mAh. That's some way short of the 3,651 mAh battery you'll find in the current iPhone 16 model, for example.
And previous rumors about the iPhone 17 Air battery life have contradicted each other. One recent report suggested that all-day battery life isn't guaranteed for the new phone, and that Apple might offer a battery case accessory for it.
However, back in March, a well-placed source said that battery life would be comparable to current iPhone 16 models. Bear in mind that the device will still be in testing at this point, which may explain the conflicting accounts.
We have previously heard that the iPhone 17 Air might use next-gen battery tech of some description, and that the upcoming iOS 19 is also going to deliver an AI-powered battery optimization tool that should boost battery life further.
You might have to pay more for the iPhone 17 series
The best iPhones you can buy
An affordable price is tipped for the iPhone 17 Air
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
36 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
Nothing's first pair of real headphones are coming soon — here's what we know so far
Nothing is back at it with a new hardware reveal in the Nothing Headphone (1), slated for official debut alongside its Phone (3) on July 1. Nothing CEO Carl Pei voiced his optimism about the forthcoming set of gadgets, citing the launch at the tail end of his speech at SXSW London on Thursday. It's likely to be the brand's first set of over-ear headphones, which have so far designed some of the best wireless earbuds. There's very little we know about the new Nothing Headphone (1), though Pei did confirm the naming. It fits with alternative Nothing-branded devices, such as the Nothing Ear (3) and Nothing (open). One thing you can expect is a ChatGPT integration as seen across Nothing's audio and smartphone lineup. We tried ChatGPT with the Nothing Ear to solid results, and it's cropped up on almost every release so far, so it would only make sense for it to debut on the Nothing Headphone (1), as well. You can also expect a competitive price. Nothing might be known for premium products, but it usually stamps them with a significant value proposition. Most Headphone (1) pricing rumors suggest around $400, which undercuts the new Sony WH1000-XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones by about $50. Another particular highlight for Nothing's brand is its design ethos. It loves its transparent technology and LED glyph lighting, made popular on its Nothing Ear (1) and Nothing Phone (1). Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Mockups abound on what the Nothing Headphone (1) could inevitably look like. While mostly relegated to its smartphone side, it would be interesting to see Nothing's glyph design pop up on the Headphone (1), especially in reference to certain modes or features like ANC, incoming calls, or ChatGPT. The glyph integration could not only put Sony and Apple in their place, but mark it as one of the best headphones in terms of chic alone. Nothing recently announced an ongoing audio partnership with KEF, a high-end speaker and headphone maker, but reports suggest this most likely pertains to the Phone (3)'s internal speakers. We'll have to wait and see. More information about Nothing's first-ever pair of headphones is set to be unveiled on July 1 alongside the Phone (3) itself.
Engadget
36 minutes ago
- Engadget
The Sonos Era 300 is on sale for 20 percent off right now
Sonos is selling a bunch of its speakers at a discount on its own site and Amazon. This includes the well-regarded Era 300 smart speaker, which is down to just $359. That's 20 percent off and notable because this particular speaker rarely goes on sale. It's a Sonos miracle! The deal applies to both the black and white colorways. The Era 300 is a highly capable device that we praised in our official review, saying that it "sounds excellent." We went on to say that it offers a premium experience that far surpasses other products in the company's lineup, like the Era 100. This is also true when compared to rival speakers like Apple's HomePod. It's simple to set up and offers the company's proprietary Trueplay tuning system. This feature optimizes the sound of the speaker to the unique acoustics of a room by leveraging an internal microphone. It measures how sound reflects off surfaces and adjusts the EQ to match. It's pretty nifty. As for connectivity, it can pair with another Era 300 speaker for a true stereo experience. It also includes a Bluetooth receiver and line-in options. Of course, the speaker integrates with just about every streaming music service. The built-in mic also allows for voice assistant control, but only with Siri and Alexa. Google Assistant is left out of the party. This speaker goes all-in on spatial audio, and the results are mixed. Sometimes it's sublime and sometimes it's kind of eh. This is more of a dig on the technology itself. It has serious potential but is still experiencing growing pains. The only real downside of this speaker is the exorbitant asking price, which has been slightly alleviated by this sale. As previously mentioned, other Sonos products are available at a discount. This includes the Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar, which is 26 percent off at $369. These deals are available via Sonos itself. There's also an ongoing sale on portable speakers that includes the Move 2 and the Roam 2. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice .
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Samsung Confirms AI Upgrade Choice—This Changes Your Phone
This decision defines the future of your phone. A timely warning from Samsung this week, which neatly sets out the biggest upgrade decision now facing Android users. As whispers start to spread suggesting a disconnect between Samsung and Google at the heart of Android, this is critical. We're talking AI and the new features and offerings now hitting phones and PCs at breakneck speed. This is where Galaxy has an advantage, Samsung says, 'in privacy-first, AI-powered experiences' which can 'protect you in the era of AI.' The question the Galaxy-maker asks in its latest post is the right one: 'This level of personalization' brought by AI 'can be incredibly helpful, but the more your phone knows, the more there is to protect. So, what's keeping all that personal data secure?' Samsung's answer is Knox. 'Every Galaxy device is protected from the chip up by a multi-layered approach, which includes on-device personalization, user-controlled cloud processing, and ecosystem-wide protection through Samsung Knox Matrix.' This is Samsung's secure ecosystem that is the closest replica to Apple's securely walled garden currently available on Android. 'At the core of this system is Samsung Knox Vault, Samsung's hardware-based solution for your most sensitive information.' Knox is not new and neither is the concept of hardware-enabled Galaxy data security. What is new is segmenting sensitive the latest AI-related data from the rest, and securing that alongside the more traditional PINs, passwords and credit card numbers. 'Location service metadata from your most personal photos,' Samsung says, 'could easily give away the exact location where the image was taken.' And there's not much data more sensitive than who did what, where and when. 'In the era of AI, personal information like your home address, face clustering ID, person ID, pet type, scene type and more need to be encrypted and stored in a safe location. These things aren't just files — they are deeply connected to your daily life.' It's unclear exactly what is being or will be segmented and how this plays into the various opt-ins that Samsung has added to distinguish between on-device and cloud AI, between what is only within your secure enclave and what is outside. But it's difficult not to read this push as a play against the latest announcements from Google and the cloud-based AI that will now run riot across sensitive data, including emails and even cloud data storage. Yes, there are always opt-outs, but it's all or nothing for users who want AI but are not yet worrying about privacy. 'As Galaxy AI becomes more useful,' Samsung says, 'it also becomes more personal — learning how you use your device and adapting to your needs… Knox Vault is more than a security feature, it's Galaxy's promise that no matter how advanced your devices become, or how much AI evolves, your privacy is secured.'
